Beginner Guitar Lesson – 5 Tips To Play The ‘F Chord’ Easier

When I was starting out learning guitar, among the many challenges I had was learning to play the ‘F Chord’. It did took me quite some time to figure out the proper way to play it, but along the process I found a few tricks that can be helpful and here they are:

1. Play the ‘Five Strings Half Barre’ version.

Here are two benefits on playing the ‘Five Strings Half Barre’ version compare to a ‘Full Barre’ or the normal ‘Four Strings’ version.

2. Press the 1st and 2nd strings with the tip of the index finger.

It’s a method that I’ve gotten use to doing naturally while studying this chord. This method may or may not work for you as it kind of depends on the thickness of your index finger. My index finger is not that thick but I can still do it so give it a try, you never know.

* Below are for the normal ‘Four Strings’ version.

3. Press the 1st and 2nd strings near the fret wire.

Try to position the 1st finger closer to the fret wire while pressing the 1st and 2nd string. By doing this you’re going to find it easier to reach the 3rd and the 4th strings with the 2nd and 3rd fingers.

4. Use the side of the index finger.

When pressing the 1st and 2nd strings with the index finger, try to angle it to the side. This part of the finger is harder and can eliminate the muted sound that can happen when you are not pressing hard enough on the strings.

5. Keep your thumb at the middle of the neck and pinch.

Try to keep your thumb at the middle of the neck especially if you use the side of the index finger method. If you do this, often time the index finger will naturally roll onto its edge.

Learning challenging chords such as the ‘F Chord’ can be frustrating for beginners but be persistent and stick with it. Try to play as much as you can because the more you play, the quicker your hands and fingers will adapt to the chords fingerings.